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Wednesday, 6 August 2008

No Horn please!!

I am not very fond of driving. It is a necessity driven chore. I would rather sit and let somebody else do the job. Nevertheless, I am a part of the endless stream of contraptions of all shapes and sizes, that jostle for space on the road.If you thought that driving is symbolic of being in control- you are totally mistaken.

I can move only if the person ahead of me decides to change gears. I am expected to move the moment the signal turns green .Never mind the fact that I am number ten in the line. The vehicles at the back, honk away to glory till you turn deaf. Was I supposed to fly over the ones in front of me? Or am I enjoying being in the middle of all that noise and having a picnic?I remember a particular incident when we were all stuck in a jam, at Outer Ring Road in Delhi. The car behind me wouldn't stop blaring the horn.I turned back to see a lady at the driver's seat. I signalled her to be patient. But she continued to honk for my attention. Finally I stepped out and gestured at the ones in front of me and asked her ," Udke jaaon kya?" I could see some of the other commuters sniggering and looking her way. That finally did it. But there are lots like her everyday , on the roads- taking away the little sanity you are left with.

The traffic on the road reminds me vividly of a 'survival circus'. The big buses waiting to devour the smaller vehicles.The mighty big cars asking all others to make space for them.The two wheelers squeezing themselves at all odd angles and finding space out of nothing. The 'chinese checkers' players (I call them) who zig- zag through the lanes ,because they believe that there is a trophy for them if they reach two minutes ahead of the pack.

The other day, we were out on the road with our two daughters at the back seat. It was evening and so the traffic was heavy yet again. And then I heard it. The car a little behind but adjacent to us, was unmistakeably honking at us. Gearing myself up, to glare at him I turned around. He smiled at me and gesticulated towards the backseat of our car and at the same time looked at my daughter and sucked his thumb. He was trying to tell her not to suck her thumb, which is a habit with her!
Well! people will honk for all reasons whether you like it or not.